Date for Lapu Lapu Day Festival 2026 set, one year after tragic events

Vancouver’s Lapu Lapu Day Festival will be back in 2026, one year after the devastating events from April 26, 2025.

In a press release on Wednesday, Filipino BC and partners announced that the 2026 festival is planned for the weekend of April 17 to 19.

The festival weekend is scheduled a week before the one-year mark of the April 26 tragedy, to
allow that time to be dedicated to memorial events and reflection, Filipino BC said.

It will be hosting at least one memorial gathering, with additional details to be shared in the coming months.

More event details are expected to be released soon, but Filipino BC says remembrance and healing will be a key part of festival planning.

“The Lapu Lapu Day Festival isn’t just about cultural celebration; it’s about creating a space for
unity, care, and reflection–while honouring those we’ve lost,” RJ Aquino, chair of Filipino BC said in a statement.

“As we look ahead, we centre community healing and remembrance alongside cultural pride.
This festival is a way to come together safely, to hold space for grief, and to reaffirm our
commitment to one another through culture, connection, and collective care.”

Eleven people were killed when an SUV drove into a group of people at the Lapu Lapu Day Festival on April 26, 2025. Dozens more were injured.

A review of event safety measures by the City of Vancouver and Vancouver police was ordered the following day.

“The preliminary report shows that the proper processes were followed ahead of the Lapu Lapu Day festival,” Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim said at a press conference on May 16.

The mayor said the process included site walks and co-ordination with first responders and that the risk of danger at the festival was determined to be low.

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“Nothing indicated for any change with the organizers from with how well the event went last year, it was a family-friendly event and the initial risk assessment would not have warranted heavy barricades,” Vancouver police interim chief Steve Rai said.

Changes are being recommended to ensure safety at future events.

Organizers said the 2026 festival will focus on safety, along with honouring the community and those who lost their lives last year.

A full lineup, schedule and programming for Lapu Lapu Day 2026 will be released shortly, Filipino BC reports.